How to Fill In Form ID1: A Section-by-Section Guide

Form ID1 looks longer than it is. You only fill in one part of it. This guide walks through every panel you need to complete, and explains what your verifier does next.

Form ID1 is HM Land Registry’s certificate of identity for a private individual. So you need one when you send in a property application without a conveyancer acting for you. It proves you are who you say you are, which protects you against property fraud.

However, the form has three sections. But you only complete Section A. A regulated professional completes the rest, and this guide explains which part they use.

Before you start

First, download the current version of the form from GOV.UK. HM Land Registry updates it from time to time. Using an old version can trigger a requisition, which puts your whole application on hold.

Next, check how you will fill it in. You can type the form on a computer. However, any part you do not type must be in black ink and block capitals.

Then watch the clock. Section A and the verifier’s section must both be signed and dated. Then your application must reach HM Land Registry within three months. Because of that, it is best to get verified close to the date you plan to send everything in.

Finally, remember that each person needs their own form. If you and your partner are both parties to the transfer, you each complete a separate ID1.

Section A: the part you fill in

Section A asks for your details and your application details. All panels must be completed, except any marked “(if any)”. Here is what each panel wants.

Your personal details

However, panel 8 catches people out. Many households no longer have a landline. So write “none” rather than leaving the box empty.

Panel 7 matters too. If you have moved in the last five years, list the earlier address. Otherwise your form may look incomplete.

Details of the application

Then panel 11 should match the application you are actually sending. So if you are transferring a share of your home, write “transfer”. If you are removing a paid-off mortgage, write “discharge”.

Finally, panel 14 is a formal statement. By signing it, you confirm your details are correct and allow HM Land Registry to run further checks. Because a false statement can be fraud under the Fraud Act 2006, read it before you sign.

Sections B and C: the parts you leave blank

Next come the sections you leave alone. Section B and Section C are for your verifier. So you should not write in either one. Which section they use depends on how they check your identity.

• Section B — completed when a professional checks your identity face to face, with your original documents in front of them.
• Section C — completed when identity is verified digitally, under HM Land Registry’s digital identity standard.
• Form ID5 — completed instead of Section B or C when a conveyancer verifies you by online video call.

That last point surprises many people. If you are verified by video call, your verifier leaves Sections B and C empty. Instead they complete a separate form ID5, which is lodged alongside your ID1.

They also take a screenshot of you during the call. So a printed colour copy of that screenshot goes in with the ID5 and the ID1. You can read more in our guide to Practice Guide 67.

What your verifier will need to see

First, the form sets out two lists for an in-person check under Section B. Your verifier must inspect one document from List A. If you have none of those, they can accept two from List B instead.

List A covers a current full passport, a current photocard driving licence, or a current biometric residence permit. But List B is different. For example, it covers a recent utility bill, a council tax bill for the current year, or a recent card statement. Those statements must be posted to you, because printouts of online statements are not accepted.

You also need two identical colour passport-size photographs for an in-person check. They must be printed on photographic paper and taken in the last three months. Your verifier signs and dates the back of one.

Mistakes that cause a requisition

Most ID1 problems are small. But HM Land Registry will still pause your application while you fix them. These are the ones that come up most often.

• Using an old version of the form. Always download a fresh copy rather than reusing an old PDF.
• The wrong verifier. For example, an accountant or doctor cannot sign an ID1. They can only verify identity on form ID3, and only if strict conditions are met.
• A retired professional. Your verifier needs a current practising certificate. So a retired solicitor cannot help.
• An expired form. Anything signed more than three months before lodgement will not be accepted.
• Missing panels. Every panel must be filled in unless it is marked “(if any)”.
• An electronic signature. ID forms must be signed by hand.

However, this may have happened to you already. Then our guide on why HM Land Registry rejected or requisitioned your ID1 explains what to do next.

Where the completed form goes

Finally, your ID1 does not travel on its own. Instead it goes in with the application it supports. That will usually be a form AP1, a form FR1 or a form DS2.

But members of the public send these applications by post. So check you have the right address before you send anything. HM Land Registry’s online services are only open to conveyancers at present.

So you may be lodging two applications at once. Then one set of identity evidence covers both, as long as the same people are involved. But you cannot send a photocopy of an old ID1 for a separate application later on.

Frequently asked questions

Can I fill in form ID1 on a computer?

Yes, you can type the form before printing it. Any part you do not type must be in black ink and block capitals. However, you must sign it by hand, because HM Land Registry does not accept electronic signatures on ID forms.

Can I take my ID1 to a Land Registry office?

No. HM Land Registry no longer offers identity appointments at its offices, and that option was withdrawn some years ago. So you need a conveyancer, Chartered Legal Executive or other approved verifier instead.

Do my partner and I need separate forms?

Yes. Each person who needs evidence of identity completes their own form ID1. So a couple transferring a property together will send in two separate forms.

How long is a completed ID1 valid for?

Your form must be signed and dated no more than three months before HM Land Registry receives your application. Because of that, an appointment booked too early can leave you needing a second one.

What if I have not lived at my current address for five years?

Panel 7 asks for any other address you have lived at in the last five years. So list your previous address there. If you have been at the same address throughout, that panel will not apply to you.

What should I do if I make a mistake on the form?

Print a fresh copy and start again. A clean form is far less likely to raise questions than one with crossings out. Because the form is free to download, this costs you nothing but a few minutes.

Do I need an ID1 for a low-value transaction?

Not always. HM Land Registry does not require evidence of identity where the true value of the land is £6,000 or less. In that case a valuation certificate can be sent instead.

You can also read more about our ID1 form verification online service, or browse all our ID1 and ID2 guides.